DE2540405A1 - MULTI-SPINDLE MACHINE TOOL - Google Patents

Description

Wickman Machine Tool Sales Limited, Coventry, Banner Lane,

Patent Attorney Great Britain

Dr. Reinhold 6roii

Dipl.-Phys. 521 Trolsdor-f

Blücherstrasse 22

Multi-spindle machine tool

The present invention relates to multi-spindle machine tools, in particular lathes, which at the Spindles have chucks for clamping the tools, which are actuated by fluid pressure. The spindles are rotatably mounted in a spindle drum, which can be switched into a number of working positions to to bring the tools clamped in the chucks in successive positions in which machining operations carried out on the workpieces or the workpieces can be clamped, unclamped or turned. the The present invention can be applied to machine tools with double shifting and to those with single switching application and extends to machines with inside or external chuck fastening of the workpieces.

The so-called double switching means the setting of the spindle drum on two work stations at the same time, whereby two different sets of workpieces can be produced at the same time, or if the same workpiece sets are used, in the first step on the one hand and in the second step in the turned position on a previous one inaccessible place can be processed, both operations can run at the same time.

-2-

609813/0781

Since an almost completely machined workpiece is weaker than a partially machined workpiece and since the finishing of workpieces is generally less Requires forces, it may be desirable that the clamping forces in one compared to the other chuck in Depending on the working position are different.

The present invention has the object, in multi-spindle machine tools of the aforementioned type To apply different clamping forces to the chucks for the workpieces to be clamped.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the fluid pressure is applied to the actuation of the respective spindle chuck serving associated organs is controllable so that the pluid pressure on different organs different Has values.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying Drawings illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a multi-spindle Machine tool to which the present invention is applied,

Fig. 2 shows the scheme of the control for the operation of the chucks of the machine,

Fig. J5 is a view of one end of the fluid manifold; which forms part of the machine.

Fig. K is a sectional view of the fluid manifold,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the other end of the manifold.

-3-

609813/0781

In the pig. 1 illustrates a multi-spindle machine tool, which has a machine bed on which the two structures 11 and 12 are provided. The from each other separate superstructures are connected by bridge 13. In the space between the superstructures ill and 12 are the tool slides and other devices, which, however are not illustrated for the sake of clarity.

In the structure 12, the spindle drum 14 is rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis. The axis of rotation of the drum is indicated by the line 15.

A plurality of parallel spindles 16 are rotatably arranged in the drum 14. The spindles are at equal angular intervals arranged around the axis 15. Each of the spindles carries a chuck 17 for clamping a workpiece. Each of the chucks can clamp a workpiece either internally or externally.

The individual chucks are actuated by associated hydraulic cylinders 18. Each of the cylinders is attached to that Connected to the end of a spindle, through the hollow interior of which a concentric rod 16a extends. The rod 16a is connected to axially movable parts of the associated chuck 17 and extends through the cylinder 18, wherein the rod carries the rotary coupling I9 at its rear end facing away from the chuck 16, through the hydraulic fluid the cylinders 18 is supplied.

The cylinder 18 has a piston connected to the rod 16a. There are also valves in the piston-cylinder assembly which prevent the pressure acting on the chuck in the event of a failure of the pressure supply fails by clutch I9. However, the design of the cylinders is not the subject of the present invention.

-4-60981 3/0781

Eight spindles 16 are arranged in the illustrated machine tool. The spindle drum 15 is switchable so that the spindles can be set to eight different stations. Six of these stations are workstations in which Editing operations are performed the other two Stations are used to clamp, unclamp or turn the workpieces. One of the typical configurations is the station eight, the initial clamping station, while stations two, four, and six are workstations; the station seven is again a clamping station that picks up a workpiece which is turned with respect to its position in station eight so that a previously inaccessible side of the workpiece is accessible for machining. The editing the part of the workpiece that is not accessible in stations two, four and six is then found in stations one, three and five instead. The workpieces are then finally removed in station seven. This is one in detail described arrangement, although it goes without saying that other machining cycles can be selected.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the cylinders 18 are fed from a manifold 20 which is located on the rear of the Cylinder drum 14 is arranged. The input-side connections are on a non-rotatable part of the distributor 20 intended. These connections are on lines 23 with a Valve arrangement in connection, which is indicated generally with the reference number 22 and is described in detail in FIG and is shown.

The connections on the output side on the distributor 20 protrude Lines 98 with the rotary couplings 19 and from there with the cylinders 18 in connection. The part of the distributor whose Connections on the output side are used, can be adjusted by means of the drum 14. The distributor will therefore mounted coaxially to the drum 14.

The manifold is shown in Figures J5, 4 and 5 discussed later illustrated in detail.

609B1 3/0781
-5-

From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the distributor consists of a core 24 which has a flange on one side, into which the inlet-side connections open. Around the core is a flanged sleeve 24 and around it in turn a sleeve 26 is mounted, in which the output-side connections are located.

The lines 23 on the inlet side lead to the valve block 22. A schematic circuit diagram of the valves is illustrated in FIG. Two groups of valves are provided. In each of these two groups three valves, which are designated by the reference numerals 27, 28, 29 and 30, 31 , 32, respectively, are provided. These are fed via a valve 33, which receives the pressurized liquid via the inlet line 34. This input line, in which a test valve 35, a hydraulic pressure accumulator 36 and a filter 37 are switched on, is fed by means of a pump 38 which is driven by an electric motor 39. The pump draws in liquid from a reservoir.

The valve 33 is operated by means of a solenoid, which in turn is triggered again by a switch, cam or similar device located on the main camshaft machine; these parts are not illustrated. The arrangement is such that the feed line 34 blocks during the changeover of the spindle drum is, so that a hydraulic lock is created which prevents liquid under high pressure from passing through an opening can occur in the manifold, which should be at low pressure.

If a machine is to work in double switching mode, as described above, this measure can be prevented that an incorrect operation of the chuck occurs, as will be described below will.

6 0 9 813/0781
-6-

Valves 29 and 32 are adjustable to regulate the pressure, which is fed to the assigned groups of chucks. This makes it possible to attach to a group of chucks to apply a different clamping pressure compared to other groups. During the initial machining operations, if strong cutting forces are used, higher clamping forces are required for the workpiece in the chucks needed than during the final processing, which in the second Group of chucks takes place.

The valves 29 and 32 are provided with a pressure reversal system, which is indicated by the reference numerals 29a and 32a is. With the valve 29 and the valve 32 are assigned Manometer 41 and 42 connected, which push button valves 43 and 44 are assigned so that the pressure present in the lines can be checked.

The valves 28 and 31 are simple, manually operable shuttle valves. They are used to reverse the flow so that the cylinders 18 have both an inner and an outer Can cause clamping of the workpieces.

The valves 27 and 30 are controlled by associated solenoids, which the opening movements of the chucks by means of the Control cylinder 18. These solenoids, in turn, are operated by cam switch devices or similar devices on the main cam holder of the machine according to the Duty cycle of the same actuated. The valves 27 and 30 are provided with return springs.

As previously described, the valve group consisting of the valves 27, 28 and 29 leads the liquid under pressure to the Cylinders at three work stations and one clamping station. In the present case, these are workstations two, four and six and the jig station eight.

—7—
609813/0781

2540

In a similar way, the valve group consisting of valves 30, 31 and 32 controls the cylinders at work stations eiiE, three, five and at clamping station ¹ J.

The lines 23 are used to supply or remove Liquid from or out of the cylinders via the distributor. The lines leading to the workstations are between the manifold and the valves 27, 28 or 30, 31 in the corresponding Valve groups arranged, while the lines leading to the clamping stations, downstream of the valve 27 or the valve 30 of the associated valve group is connected are.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the manifold in various details. As stated earlier, the Distributor consisting of a core 24 into which all lines 23 open on the face side. The soul 24 of the distributor is means an anchorage, which is not illustrated, and through the tubes of the lines 23 are prevented from rotating. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, there are nine inlet ports 45 to 53 provided; eight of these are arranged on a manifold circle around the center of the manifold, in that the ninth opening 53 was placed.

One of the inlet openings, namely opening 51 *, is smaller than all others and is on by means of line 54 (Fig. 2) a reservoir 55 is connected. The line is a drain line which is connected to a bore 56 as shown in FIG. 2, which runs through the center line of the core 24 and opens into a radial bore 57 at the opposite end.

The other eight openings 45 to 50 and 52 and 53 communicate with associated parallel axial bores 58 to 65, which are illustrated in FIG. 2. Two of these are also shown in FIG. These holes communicate in contrast to the central bore 65 (Fig. 4) with the assigned

-8-6098 13/078 1

arranged openings via radial connecting holes, from one of which is indicated by the reference numeral 66 in FIG is. This arrangement gives enough space for access to the nuts in which the openings are provided. To the To block the ends of the bores, e.g., bore 6o and radial bore 66, plugs 67 and 68 are provided.

At the inner ends of the bores 58 to 65 are radial Connecting bores are provided which lead to the cylindrical outer surface of the core 24. The radial holes are arranged at axial distances from one another, as is indicated schematically in FIG.

In the sleeve 25, nine inner annular grooves are provided which run at equal distances from one another on the longitudinal side. These grooves are represented by the reference numerals 69 to 77. All nine grooves communicate with bores 56 and 58 to 65 through radial bores running at the inner ends of the same.

In the outer surface of the sleeve 25, wider grooves are provided, four of which appear in FIG. 2 and two in FIG. These wider grooves are marked with the reference numerals 78 to 81 indicated.

The aforementioned grooves are arranged in such a way that they are in connection with the output-side connections 82 to 89 and 90 to 97, respectively stand. The external connections are arranged in two groups, which are arranged at an axial distance from one another.

The connections are through the lines indicated in Fig. 2, which are identified by the reference numerals 98, 99, 100 and 101, connected to the rotary couplings I9.

-9-

609813/0781

~ ⁹ ~ 254Ü40Ü

The groove 77 communicates via radial bores 102 in the sleeve with an outer annular groove 10J5, which in turn again is in communication with a radial bore in the outer sleeve 26, to which the connections 82 to 97 are also fastened are. The radial bore 104 is in communication with the external connection, which leads to a drainage line. These is formed by the line 54 in Fig. 2, which, however, in a slightly different shape is shown.

A longitudinal bore 106 in the outer sleeve 26 serves as a drain for the liquid which is between the two seals 107 and Io8 is collected, which are located at opposite ends of the outer sleeve and have edges that at the outer surface of the sleeve 25 lie.

In the inner core 24 engages a pin 109 to which an anchor rod or other organ is attached to a To prevent rotation of the distributor's soul. The core and the sleeve 25 that surround it are usually relative connected non-rotatably to one another by means of a pin 110 which carries an externally accessible button 111. The pencil is spring loaded so that its end engages a short bore 112 in the sleeve 25, but against the force of a Compression spring 113 can be retracted to allow relative adjustment of these parts to avoid interference remove.

The bolts 114 serve to connect the outer sleeve 26 to the spindle drum 14.

Further discharge lines lead from connection 105 to the rotary coupling 19, so that the fluid can be drawn off from the rotary coupling from the same into the reservoir 55.

-10-

609813/0781

During operation, if the double switchover is carried out, the following work sequence is set. As soon as the machine control initiates the switching movement, the valve 55 is initially closed. This state is reached when the switchover begins. As a result, all lines to the distributor and from there to the cylinders 18 of the associated work spindles are blocked. Thus, no one under high pressure can Liquid can be fed into a bore in which there is a low pressure at the time in question, or vice versa.

When the switching operation is completed, the valve 55 is operated under the action of the return spring so that the pressures be restored in the associated lines to the cylinders 18. The opening solenoid for the chuck will be now actuated, causing the valve 27 or 50 in the stations seven or eight is triggered in order to be able to clamp, loosen or turn the workpiece.

The valves 28, 29, 51 and 52 are preset to the Determine the direction of the clamping movement of the chuck and to determine the pressure values with which the various Groups of chucks are to be acted upon. The pressure between one group of valves and the other and hence between work stations one, three and five on the one hand and work positions two, four and six on the other can be selected just as differently as the direction of the clamping movement to different or the same workpieces clamped in different orientations.

With such a device it is possible to double and single switchovers with either high or low chuck pressures to be carried out and to clamp the workpieces inside and outside as required.

-11-

60981 3/078 1

With single switching, of course, there is no need given to switch off the pressure by means of the valve 33 during the switching process, since the problem does not exist, to drive a high pressure connection via a low pressure connection. The optional internal or external clamping is achieved by the two rotary couplings 19 and depends on which of the two connections is higher Pressure is located and which is connected to the drain.

Expectations

80981 3/0781

Claims (4)

Expectations 1. Multi-spindle machine tool with organs that support the Activate the chuck of the spindles by means of fluid pressure, characterized in that the fluid pressure is applied to the Actuation of the associated organs (16a, 18, 19) serving the respective spindle chuck can be controlled such that the fluid pressure in different organs has different values. 2. Multi-spindle machine tool according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that the control is carried out with valves that control the fluid pressure at the various actuators (16a, 18, 19) for the individual chucks (17) set, with a distributor (20) mounted on the spindle drum (14), which the feed to and the Withdrawal of the fluid from the actuators (16a, 18, 19) controls. 3. Multi-spindle machine tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized characterized in that the direction of fluid pressure supply to the actuators (16a, 18, 19) is through valves can be controlled in order to selectively effect an internal or external clamping of the tools in the chucks. 4. Multi-spindle machine tool according to claim 2, characterized in that that the manifold (20) has spaced apart connections through which the fluid is to the actuators (16a, 18, 19) can be supplied or removed, and that the distributor (20) has parts that are rotatable relative to one another (24, 25, 26) which define the internal connections. 60981 3/0781 Blank page